Sow's Ear From A Silk Purse

Ever felt like you made something a lot more complex than it had to be? That was day 1 of Saratoga for me. Just two winners from nine races and a wholly unprofitable day.

It didn't have to be that hard. Something as simple as betting the horse that earned the highest Beyer Speed figure last time out would have cost $22 for 11 horses in 10 races (Race 4 had co-highest figure earners) and would have returned $31.90. A 45% ROI and a 11-5-2-1 record would have been a decent way to kick things off.

All the wagers I mentioned in yesterday's diary entry were unprofitable. It would have been a good idea to box my exacta for Race 3. I had Riley Tucker over Pyro and Gold Trippi. A box involving the three of them would have cost $8 more but it paid $90 and would have rescued my entire day.

I enjoyed following the races even if it seemed like everything I touched went bust. We'll hope for a better day today. Weather may force some races off the grass so it might get a little tricky for races 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10.

As always you can follow all my picks and wagers at Saratoga 2009. It might be handy as a "horses to avoid" tip sheet!